Introduction

You live in England in 1750. You work for the New World Travel Agency. The American Colonies need people. Your job is to create advertisements for the Thirteen Colonies to attract both settlers and tourists. You work in a group specializing in one of the three regions: The New England Colonies, The Middle Colonies, or The Southern Colonies.  Using facts you will learn about your region, you will create a map, a travel brochure, and a poster.

Task 1: Make a Map of Your Region

The first thing you must do is to create a map of your region for your clients. Your teacher will give you an outline map to serve as a rough draft. On the map you need to have:

(1)  The name of the region. 

(2)  The name of each colony in your region.

(3)    Major rivers.

(4)    Major towns.

(5)    Mountain ranges.

On the inset map of the Thirteen Colonies, color in your region. In this small map, all the colonies of your region should be the same color.

When you are sure all the information is correct. You may print out a good outline and copy the information to it.

On the good copy, you will color in the larger map (as well as the smaller). Each colony should be a different color. All water should be blue.

Process

In addition to the encyclopedias and atlases that you will find in the library, here is an internet site that will give you information:

http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/maps/english_colonies/index.html - This is a beautiful map of the 13 colonies - easier to read on the computer screen than when you print it out.

http://www.civics-online.org/library/formatted/images/13_colonies.html - Gives the Colony Names

Task 2-A:    Find the Information to Put in a Booklet/Brochure

The information you need to include is:

     (1)  Climate of the region
     (2) Natural resources
     (3) Agriculture
     (4) The different ways people make a living in the region (Industries - if they exist)
     (5) The role of religious development
     (6) The role of slavery in the region
     (7) The year each of the colonies in the region was founded, by whom, and (if important) why the colony  was founded

Process

In addition to the encyclopedias and books you find in the library, the following internet sites will be helpful.

In the New England Colonies: Movie about the Economy . 

In the Southern Colonies: Movie about the Tobacco and the role of slavery 

In the Southern Colonies: Movie about Rice and the role of slavery.

New England Overview: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa//H/1994/ch2_p2.htm

Middle Atlantic Overview: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa//H/1994/ch2_p3.htm

Interactive map of the colonies - tells when each was founded and by whom: http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/graphics/13mapnew.htm

Characteristics of the colonies (motivation for founding and economy) http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/13colonies2.htm

Religion in the colonies:  http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/13colonieschurch.htm

Farming the in colonies: http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/13coloniesfarm.htm

An economic map of the colonies: http://www.socialstudies.com/c/@BZBI4R8Wpp08-/Pages/article.html?article@SHL172A

The people of Albany - an excellent site for the Middle Colony group: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/gallery.html

http://www.royal.wednet.edu/~dskeen/pages/colonies/2001/pages/colonialamerica.htm - If you use this site, be sure and look at the picture of the researchers. When you use information from children, try to confirm your findings in another source.